Should I eat the morning of a hangover? Your nutrition questions answered

October 17, 2025 •

5 min read

After a night of heavy drinking, alcohol depletes key nutrients and lowers blood sugar, leaving you with symptoms like fatigue and nausea. Addressing the question, "Should I eat the morning of a hangover?", the answer is often yes, but your food choices are immensely important for a smooth recovery.

Quick Summary

Eating the morning of a hangover is beneficial for replenishing lost nutrients, stabilizing blood sugar, and settling the stomach. The best options are bland, hydrating foods rich in electrolytes and B vitamins, while greasy, sugary, or spicy items should be avoided to prevent further irritation.

Key Points

Eat to Recover: Eating the morning of a hangover is generally recommended to replenish lost nutrients and stabilize blood sugar levels.
Choose Bland Carbs: Opt for easy-to-digest carbohydrates like toast, crackers, or oatmeal to provide sustained energy and soothe the stomach.
Hydrate and Replenish Electrolytes: Prioritize fluids and include foods or drinks rich in electrolytes, such as bananas, coconut water, or bone broth, to combat dehydration.
Eggs are Your Friend: Eggs contain cysteine, which helps the body process acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism.
Avoid Greasy and Sugary Foods: Steer clear of fried, sugary, or spicy foods, as they can further irritate your sensitive stomach and cause energy crashes.
Don't Rely on More Alcohol: The 'hair of the dog' remedy is a myth; drinking more alcohol only delays and worsens the recovery process.
Listen to Your Body: If you feel too nauseous to eat, focus on sipping clear liquids like water or ginger tea slowly until your stomach settles.

The Science Behind Your Hangover

Before diving into what to eat, it is crucial to understand why you feel so unwell. A hangover is your body’s reaction to alcohol toxicity and dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic, which causes increased urination and leads to dehydration, contributing to headaches and fatigue. It also irritates the stomach lining, which can increase acid release and trigger nausea. Additionally, alcohol interferes with the body's ability to regulate blood sugar, causing it to drop and leading to weakness and low energy. The liver, working overtime to process the alcohol, produces the toxic byproduct acetaldehyde, which further contributes to inflammation and overall malaise. These physiological effects explain the wide range of unpleasant symptoms you experience.

The Importance of Eating After Drinking

Contrary to the myth that a morning-after greasy breakfast will soak up the alcohol, eating is most beneficial before drinking. However, a light, nutritious meal or snack the morning of a hangover is still important for recovery. The right food choices can help address several key issues:

Stabilize Blood Sugar: Replenishing your glycogen stores with complex carbohydrates can help combat the fatigue and shakiness caused by low blood sugar.
Replenish Nutrients: Alcohol depletes essential vitamins and minerals, particularly water-soluble B vitamins and electrolytes like potassium and sodium. Eating nutrient-dense foods helps restore these levels.
Settle Your Stomach: Bland, easy-to-digest foods can help soothe an irritated stomach and reduce nausea, making it easier to rehydrate and refuel.
Provide Energy: The body needs energy to recover from the stress of processing alcohol. Nutrients from food provide the fuel needed to return to normal functioning.

Best Foods to Combat a Hangover

To make the right choice, focus on foods that are hydrating, nutrient-rich, and easy on the digestive system. The goal is to provide your body with the building blocks it needs to repair itself without adding more stress.

Ideal Hangover-Friendly Foods:

Bland Carbohydrates: These are easy to digest and help raise low blood sugar. Examples include toast, crackers, and oatmeal.
Eggs: Rich in cysteine, an amino acid that helps the body produce glutathione, an antioxidant that breaks down the toxic byproduct acetaldehyde.
Bananas and Avocados: Excellent sources of potassium, an electrolyte often depleted by alcohol's diuretic effects.
Bone Broth and Chicken Noodle Soup: These are hydrating and rich in sodium and other electrolytes, helping to rebalance fluids. The warmth can also soothe an upset stomach.
Ginger: Known for its anti-nausea properties, ginger can be consumed as tea or in cooked foods to help settle a queasy stomach.
Spinach and Leafy Greens: These are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to combat inflammation and replenish depleted nutrients.
Salmon: A great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation, and B vitamins, which are crucial for energy production.

Foods to Avoid When Hungover

Just as some foods can help, others can make your symptoms much worse. The key is to avoid anything that will further irritate your digestive system or cause blood sugar spikes and crashes.

Foods to Avoid:

Greasy, Fried Foods: The high fat content in items like bacon, fries, and burgers can be difficult to digest and will likely upset an already sensitive stomach.
Sugary Drinks and Sweets: A big spike in blood sugar followed by a crash can exacerbate fatigue and mood swings. Stick to complex carbs for sustained energy.
Spicy or Acidic Foods: These can further irritate the stomach lining, increasing nausea and stomach discomfort.
Coffee on an Empty Stomach: While caffeine can help with grogginess, it is also a diuretic and can irritate the stomach. Have it after a bland meal to mitigate these effects.
More Alcohol ("Hair of the Dog"): This is a myth. Drinking more only delays your hangover symptoms and adds more toxins to your already overburdened liver.

Comparison of Hangover Food Choices


Feature	Best Hangover Foods	Worst Hangover Foods
Effect on Stomach	Gentle, soothing, and easy to digest.	Irritating, difficult to digest, and can increase nausea.
Energy Source	Complex carbohydrates for sustained energy.	Simple, sugary carbs causing energy spikes and crashes.
Nutrient Repletion	Rich in electrolytes, B vitamins, antioxidants, and protein.	Lacking key vitamins and minerals; often high in empty calories.
Hydration	Often high in water content (fruits, soups).	Can exacerbate dehydration (salty foods, excess caffeine).
Long-Term Impact	Supports recovery and overall well-being.	Prolongs symptoms and adds stress to the body.

Hydration Is Your Top Priority

Above all else, focus on rehydration. Alcohol suppresses a hormone that helps your body retain fluid, leading to increased urination and dehydration. Replenishing fluids and electrolytes is paramount for recovery. In addition to plain water, consider these options:

Electrolyte Drinks: Sports drinks or oral rehydration solutions can help restore lost sodium and potassium.
Coconut Water: A natural source of electrolytes.
Fruit Juice: Provides fluids, vitamins, and natural sugars to help with low blood sugar.
Water-Rich Fruits and Vegetables: Watermelon, cucumber, and oranges offer hydration plus added nutrients.

A Sample Hangover-Friendly Breakfast

If your stomach is up to it, a balanced breakfast can work wonders. A good example might include:

Two scrambled eggs with spinach (for cysteine, B vitamins, and electrolytes).
A slice of whole-grain toast (for complex carbs).
Half an avocado (for potassium and healthy fats).
A glass of coconut water or water with a squeeze of fresh lemon (for hydration and electrolytes).

Conclusion

For those asking, "Should I eat the morning of a hangover?", the answer is a qualified yes. Eating the right foods can be a powerful tool for mitigating symptoms and supporting your body's recovery. By focusing on bland, nutrient-dense foods that rehydrate and stabilize blood sugar while avoiding greasy, sugary, and irritating options, you can help your body get back on track faster. Remember that while food can help, time and rest are the ultimate cures. The best strategy is prevention—eating before you drink and staying hydrated throughout the night. For more information on nutrition for recovery, you can explore resources from reputable health organizations.

A Note on Severity and Medical Advice: If you experience severe symptoms like persistent vomiting, dizziness, or confusion, consult a healthcare professional. For more in-depth nutritional guidance, consider visiting a resource like the Cleveland Clinic website.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is generally better to eat, as food helps stabilize blood sugar, replenish lost nutrients, and provide energy for recovery. However, if you are experiencing severe nausea, it is best to start with small sips of water or broth until your stomach settles.

No, it's a common myth that greasy food can help a hangover. Eating greasy or fried foods the morning after can actually irritate an already sensitive stomach and make nausea worse.

Some of the best foods for a hangover are bland carbohydrates like toast or crackers, protein-rich eggs, and potassium-rich foods such as bananas and avocado. Foods like bone broth and chicken noodle soup are also great for hydration and electrolytes.

Alcohol can irritate the lining of your stomach, causing increased acid production and inflammation. This, along with the toxic byproduct acetaldehyde, can lead to nausea and stomach discomfort.

You can, but proceed with caution. Caffeine is a diuretic and can further dehydrate you. It can also irritate a sensitive stomach. It is best to have coffee after eating some food and to alternate with plenty of water.

In addition to drinking fluids, you can rehydrate with water-rich foods. Excellent options include watermelon, cucumber, strawberries, leafy greens, and soups.

Yes, bananas are an excellent choice for a hangover. They are rich in potassium, an electrolyte that is often depleted due to alcohol's diuretic effects.